Punchcard

Punchcard is a proposal for a membership service targetting freelancers, independent workers and others who do not work in tradition offices. Punchcard membership would give members access to a network of coworking spaces. In addition, Punchcard membership would offer access to an online “dashboard” communications/social networking platform, that appears on members’ computers when they log into the WiFi at a Punchcard location. The platform draws on elements of Twitter, social networking sites, and instant messaging, but is location-based, so that members can see who else is in that space at a given time, and view their profiles. Punchcard platform is meant to facillitate serendipitious interactions between Punchcard members with the goal of potential networking and collaborative opportunities.

The dean of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Mary Schmidt Campbell, was a special guest during our final pitches. She noted in the post-presentation Q&A that the Punchcard platform could also be adapted to other applications besides networking for laptop-nomad freelancers. She said that something like it could be implemented in a university context to build community and interdisciplinary collaboration between students in different departments.

While team Punchcard will not be continuing on to the next stage of the competition at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, WA this summer, we would still like to continue to develop the project in some way, perhaps in the Stern Business Plan competition in the fall.